Saddled
by ScrabbleJak
Summary: Vieri could win more competitions if Federico wasn't always there to distract him.


Written with help from sweetedge.

xXx

"So this is where you've been hiding all day from me."

Vieri did not jump when he heard Federico's voice behind him. He had not been startled enough to have to clamp his throat around a yell or clench his fingers tightly around his horse's reigns. He was absolutely fine. Fine, damn it!

He twisted his upper body to look behind him, sneering as Federico appeared through the trees and sauntered up to him.

Vieri scoffed. "Does it look like I'm hiding?"

Glancing to the horse Vieri was on, Federico made an educated guess. "Looks like you're riding."

"I'm practicing." Vieri pointed towards the city gates, wanting Federico to slink back to his pathetic excuse of a home and stop bothering him. "Now, leave."

Federico's eyebrows rose, ignoring the dismissal as usual with a smile on his face. "Ah, practicing for the competitions that I'm not allowed to attend."

Yeah, not allowed to attend. Ever. Vieri had banned Federico from each and every competitive event that he would participate in. It was bad enough that Federico had distracted him before, sitting comfortably on the sidelines and just staring at him endlessly with a tiny smirk on his lips, but the bastard knew how distracting he was. It wasn't so much that he sat there the whole time pretending to be interested in what was going on or the way he smiled widely whenever Vieri looked his way. It had everything to do with what Vieri knew would happen after the race when he made it home.

_If_ he made it home.

All it took was Federico slipping away after each event's finish to track him down to give him his own brand of "first place prizes" and that's all Vieri thought of the next time he started a race. Seeing Federico's small knowing smirk during the races annoyed him because it filled him with anticipation that he knew he shouldn't have. Vieri knew he shouldn't be distracted by that nor should he care.

"If I ever catch you near one again..." he warned slowly before Federico quickly assured him.

"I haven't been to one in weeks. I promise." He gazed over the horse, his mouth falling into a disappointed frown. "I do miss it, though, watching you race. It was nice when you won." He smirked slyly, glancing up to Vieri. "It was especially nice _after _you won."

"You want to know what it feels like to have a horse shatter your skull?"

Federico backed off, but continued to grin as though he were simply being teased and not threatened with pain and death. "Were my kisses not incentive enough for you to win each time?"

Those were more than kisses! Vieri flushed hotly as he remembered the main reason for banning Federico from being anywhere near him anytime there was a competition being held-Federico made riding the next day too difficult.

"I don't need your incentive!"

Federico didn't even react to the shouting. He ran his hand over the horse's hip and looked up to Vieri with a cheeky smile on his face. "Well, you do know how to ride."

Damn straight he did. But Vieri suppressed his cocksure smirk. Federico didn't need to know that his compliments affected him in a positive way. It made the bastard even more smug with himself. The comments were nice, but the accompanying leer always made him think twice about what was really being said.

Federico leaned on his elbow against the horse's flank and his grin widened as he looked up at him. "You're probably good because you ride so much."

Fuck, there was that stupid grin again. Vieri didn't care for what Federico was saying anymore, too peeved over his look, and he grit out a low slow, "I ride a lot."

"I know. And you do it so well." He sounded teasing, but Vieri wasn't sure why or what about. Federico continued on, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "You think you could handle if you ever got bucked?"

Vieri yanked the reigns to one side, forcing the horse to jerk around to face Federico, who darted out of the way before he was stomped upon. Vieri fixed him with a dirty look.

"What are you trying to imply?" That he couldn't handle a horse? What, did winning all those competitions mean nothing?

Federico brought up his hands in complete surrender, grin shrinking to appease the wrath before him. "I meant nothing by it. Your horse is just really big, that's all."

"Listen." Vieri jabbed a finger down at him. He prided himself on his riding abilities. He was the best at it and no one, _no one,_ dared tell him otherwise. "I don't care how big something is, I will always be able to handle it, got it?"

Vieri did not like how Federico started to choke on poorly suppressed laughter. He jerked on the reigns again in irritation and his horse gave a sharp noise of protest, its head shaking at the pull as it snorted out heavily.

"Hey, now." Federico reached out and gently held the horse's muzzle, easily calming it with his soft touches. "No need to be so rough."

"I'll be as rough as I want!"

Federico shook his head, wide smile splitting his face "I love you so much, you know that?"

With the way Federico always spouted out love words at seemingly random times, it was like he thought that the things he said affected Vieri or something. And it most certainly did not! Unless it was to anger him, then Federico did a damn good job at pissing him off.

"If you cared, you'd leave so I could finish." Things to do, people to challenge and then crush without a thought.

Vieri wanted to outright ignore the massive pain in his side at that point, but he noticed that Federico ignored his demands to leave and kept talking.

"You take riding seriously, huh?" The massive pain in Vieri's side did not know how to take a hint and go the hell away already. "I mean, I've seen you ride really hard before."

Vieri was starting to get suspicious over the sheer number of times Federico said riding. "What the hell are you trying to get at?"

Federico shrugged. "Nothing. I just love it when you ride." He nuzzled his face against the horse's warm muzzle and put on a deceptively sweet smile. "Me, in particular."

It took about two seconds for Vieri to understand and react. His slightly annoyed look twisted sharply into disgusted anger, eyes narrowed fiercely and teeth bared, but he couldn't do much more than sputter as he remembered their entire conversation and the things Federico tricked him into saying.

Vieri really didn't want to spend time cleaning blood from his horse's hooves and legs. He was above such menial things as cleaning, but it felt good to imagine Federico being crushed to the ground. Repeatedly. Fuck, no really it did. He would have been more than happy to continue fantasizing of the fucker's horrendous, helpless screams, but Federico liked talking.

"We should ride together," he said eagerly, seemingly oblivious of the sharp glare aimed his way.

"Shut up." Vieri swiped the back of his hand against his cheekbone, upset that the warmness over his face refused to go away. "I don't want to hear anymore of your idiotic nonsense."

Federico looked too amused as he stepped around to the side, eyes never leaving Vieri's narrowed ones. "I mean we should ride on the horse."

Vieri huffed. Enough with saying riding already!

He would have kicked at that damn conceited prick, wanting to smash in that never-ending flash of teeth, but he knew his efforts would be wasted. It would either be dodged or his leg would be caught, and he knew Federico wouldn't be too inclined to let him go.

"I don't want-"

Before Vieri could protest further, Federico grabbed the back of the saddle to haul himself up on the horse with ease and to settle in behind him. Vieri threw a glare over his shoulder, but Federico pressed in close, the whole front of his body spreading warmth against his back as words, low and charming, were whispered near his ear. "Maybe I want to ride with you."

Vieri yanked back hard on the reigns and kicked into his horse to make it rear back in an attempt to throw Federico off. A loud, startled yelp behind him gave Vieri only a spilt second of satisfaction before he felt arms wrap tightly around his middle with Federico holding him in death grip. The horse's front hooves thumped back down against the dirt, sending up a cloud of dust.

Damn him. Damn him and his inhumanly quick reflexes. Why couldn't he have someone slower and easier to order around? Vieri contemplated taking out his dagger and stabbing the hands around him. Simply glaring at the damn things was usually enough to have the bastard remove them on his own, but this time, Federico refused to let go, greeting his huffiness with a short laugh.

"If you wanted me to hold you, you could've just said so."

Vieri jerked his arm against the hand that snapped around his wrist when he had reached for his dagger.

The second he turned over his shoulder to yell right in Federico's face, a mouth covered his open one, a tongue slipping part ways inside. Vieri flinched back, not out of surprise, but disgust! A loud sound of protest rose in his throat as he tried to lean away, but Federico swiftly followed, bringing up the hand wrapped around his wrist to hold his jaw still.

Vieri grabbed at his arms, clutching at the sleeves to pull Federico off because he didn't give a damn about him and he cared even less for his ridiculous affections. The more he pulled, the more the arms around him tightened, pressing the two of them closer together.

Damn it, he didn't lean into it then. He didn't crane his neck so that their lips fit over one another and he didn't eagerly keep his mouth open to push his tongue against Federico's responsive, playful one.

And his eyes definitely didn't slip shut! As if he liked all of this!

When the kiss ended, Vieri knew he should be livid over the fact that it was Federico who broke it off, instead of violently doing it himself like he should have. The fully satisfied look he was given should have added to that anger, but he couldn't make his mouth work at the moment, his chest rising and falling deeply as he struggled to control his breathing. He hated how breathless he was when he knew he shouldn't be the slightest bit affected and his eyes narrowed at the happiness Federico emanated.

Vieri didn't want to deal with the teasing he knew he was going to get, so he spoke to him in the most threatening voice he could muster.

"Don't you say one word."

Federico quickly shook his head, mouth stretching to its fullest and overflowing with mirth.

"And stop smiling!"

Federico clenched down on his jaw hard, face twisting as he struggled to not smile. Vieri didn't think it was possible that Federico could look any dumber than he usually did, but he guessed he learned something new everyday. He really didn't want to be this close to Federico's stupid face, so he turned his attention back to the hands around his waist-hands that slid up higher to grab possessively at his chest!

Fuck! Get off! Personal space!

The hold around him was unrelenting despite him trying to rip the bastard's arms off and Vieri looked ready to gnaw through Federico's wrists. "Let go!"

Federico happily leaned against him, hugging him snugly. "Aw, why? You were enjoying my company a second ago."

Nothing. That meant nothing. It never happened. Vieri didn't even know what Federico was talking about.

"I never enjoy your company. And how the hell do you expect me to train my horse if you keep interfering?"

"Take a break." Vieri shot a glare at him, ready to jerk his shoulder up to jam into Federico's throat should the bastard try to pull another fast one. Federico only tilted his head back slightly as if he already sensed his evil intentions, and he clarified his statement. "A quick one. I've barely seen you these past weeks." He frowned. "Always with the races, the training, dinners with the other participants. "

Vieri almost laughed darkly at that, but kept his annoyed expression as Federico continued with his complaints.

"You've spent more time with your horse than you have with me."

"That's because I actually like my horse."

Federico's frown snapped into a grin as he sat up straighter. "Yeah, but I can do a lot of things that your horse can't do."

Vieri couldn't believe how proud he sounded about that and aimed to shoot him down a notch. "My horse never talks. For that, I will always like it better than you."

"Second place to a horse?" Federico looked thoughtful." I guess I can live with that." He shrugged, annoyingly unaffected as always. "I mean, it's not like I'm jealous or anything."

Damn. Vieri glanced away in disappointment. Federico being horrendously jealous would have been amusing enough to actually entertain him. He'd probably sulk around and generally be in a foul mood. Federico's unhappiness would always be Vieri's happiness. Just thinking about him being upset had Vieri smirking in that twisted way of his until he felt Federico's lips press against his jaw. His smirk was gone in an instant as Federico trailed a path up to his ear to whisper into it teasingly.

"Though I am tempted to show you which one of us can give you a better ride."

The way Federico started to choke and cough painfully from the shoulder that jammed into his throat had Vieri back in a great mood. He almost didn't mind as Federico leaned his forehead against the back of his neck, hacking away pitifully and struggling to breathe.

The key word was _almost_.

"Enough, already." Vieri pushed backwards, trying to throw him off. Federico held onto him to ground himself as he groaned and uttered out a mess of other irritating noises.

"You're going to break me one day," he whined softly, his voice raspy.

"The problem isn't that you'll break." Vieri stared off into the trees, unconcerned. "It's that it's taking so long for it to happen."

Federico brought a hand up to press against his sore neck. "But if I break, who's going to keep you entertained?"

"You think you're special?" Vieri twisted around so Federico could get a good look at how little he cared. "Anyone could take your spot."

Federico blinked at him, his face blank, and Vieri thought that he had finally been able to hurt his pathetic, little feelings, but he was quickly grinned at in a sneaky and conniving way.

"Could they?" Federico asked lightly, placing his hand upon Vieri's shoulder to hold it down, to keep it from attacking again. "Does anyone else know how you like things?"

Vieri glanced at the hand on his shoulder in disdain, then sneered out petulantly. "Like what?"

"Like how hard you like to be kissed."

Really? As if that made him worth anything. "So what? You think that means anything? Especially to me?"

Federico chewed at his bottom lip and glanced upwards in thought. He hummed and smiled. "Then how about how deeply you like to be taken?"

...What?

Federico's smugness extended to his voice as he pressed himself forward to smile in Vieri's face. "Like how deep you like me in you as I hold you down and you yell at me, pretending to not like every bit of it."

That-What! _Pretend?_

Vieri snatched up Federico's collar in one hand, his grip tight. "And you wonder why I hurt you so much."

Federico flinched slightly from having Vieri so close to his abused throat, but his smirk stretched across his face. "Who else could see through the front you put up to find out about the things you enjoy? Who else would you let in?" He sounded like he was enjoying himself way too much. "Could anyone really take my place so easily?"

Vieri did not like the easy way those words flowed from his mouth. While he knew that Federico was genuine to a fault, Vieri only wanted to take this as a form of conceitedness and he spoke in a pointed manner.

"Yes. It would be extremely easy."

Federico grinned, all razor sharp teeth, like he could see right through that. "Who else would let you do all these things to them? Let you pin them down or ram them against the wall? Let you have your way with them as they gave everything of theirs to you?" His voice dropped as he spoke slyly. "To let you take as you pleased, any time you want and however you want it."

Vieri glared. He was annoyed at how his pulse started racing at the low way Federico spoke. He knew the bastard could see it pounding against his neck because fingers crept up his chest, slowly trailing up until the tips rest against the beating in his throat. He valiantly kept up his stoic expression while Federico playfully continued on.

"Who else would be like me? I give you a show as we play, keep you interested along the way, and last until you're tired."

"Don't give yourself so much credit! The only thing you do is bother me!"

Federico shook his head in what Vieri took to be condescending and he was about to yell at him again when he heard, "You can't say you don't like how my back arches while I'm moving desperately underneath you."

Vieri tried. He tried to snap out how he didn't give a damn about how Federico looked, but the mental image made him freeze with his mouth open and he couldn't look away from eyes bright with amusement.

"Or how about the sweet noises you force me to make as I beg you for more?"

Vieri's throat tightened. The desire to swallow overwhelmed him, but he he'd be damned if he let Federico feel it. No way would he let him know that any of his absurd ideas affected him in any way and he grit his teeth, trying to force himself to breathe normally.

He had a harder time slowing his breathing when Federico pressed in closer, chest against his shoulder blade, stomach against his back, arms tight around him while his whole body smothered him with heat. Vieri could feel Federico's heart beating, could feel it through his shirt as fingers curled around him, held him firmly and possessively around his shoulder, around his waist. His mouth opened slightly to yell at him to knock it off, but he couldn't get it to move further as Federico leaned over his shoulder to whisper slowly.

"And all I can do is cry out your name while you take me." The next word whispered harshly. "_Hard_. Over...and over." He continued to lean forward, closer until his lips just barely touched Vieri's dry, motionless ones. He breathed, "And over."

Federico abruptly pulled away, a strangled noise catching in Vieri's throat when he found himself chasing after him, and he jerked himself to a halt. Wide eyed, Vieri stared as Federico leaned back on his hands and swung one leg back and forth in a nonchalant manner.

A playful smile was on his face. "But I guess anyone could take my place, right?"

The furious look Vieri gave him had him grinning. When an attempt was made to shove him off the horse, Federico merely laughed and wrapped his arms around Vieri once more.

"Come on." Federico's breath tickled Vieri's neck as he rested his chin on a tense shoulder. He grabbed his wrist to urge him to take hold of the reigns again. "Let's ride."

Vieri couldn't believe how easily he was taken by that bastard's smooth talking. He knew Federico could charm anyone and had a way with words, but to use it against him like that to prove his point. And then to pull away like that with that damn smug look!

"Just you wait, Auditore," he hissed, his seething glare aimed for the back of the horse's head as they started off on a slow trot.

"Hm. Now I know you're upset." Federico gently hugged Vieri around the waist as his way of apologizing. "Threats, glaring, use of my last name. Looks like I have a lot of making up to do to you."

Vieri refused to speak. It didn't matter that Federico tilted his head to lean comfortingly against his shoulder or that fingers grazed over his hip in a soothing manner. So what if Federico was finally, mercifully quiet? It wasn't like being with him was nice.

At least...it shouldn't be nice.

It shouldn't be so comforting. The arms wrapped gently around him, holding him close to the warm, inviting body against his back shouldn't make him want to relax. It shouldn't make him want to lean into all of it and stay there forever. Damn it, if Federico wasn't so fucking smug whenever he responded to his never-ending advances, Vieri would probably enjoy doing these things more. But the way Federico acted like he already knew that he would eventually give in made him bristle and fight back because, damn it, no one told him what to do. No one, especially not Federico fucking Auditore, told him how he should react!

Vieri yanked the reigns hard to one side out of spite, pretending Federico's neck was around the end of it.

Federico was quick to intervene, hand wrapping around one of Vieri's wrists. "You're always so mean to your horse."

"You think I care?" Not even bothering to glance back, Vieri shook off Federico's hand and he glowered at the trail ahead. "It's my horse." His horse, _his horse_, damn it. He could do whatever he wanted to the things he owned.

Federico hummed, murmuring out chidingly, "You should be more gentle."

And you should shut the hell up. "Like I said, you think I care?"

"You should." One of Federico's hands traveled up to Vieri's chest, pressing lightly and smoothing the fabric of his shirt over his skin.

Huffing out an annoyed breath, Vieri tried to elbow his arm off, but jerked forward with a stifled noise of surprise when Federico's other hand slid down his stomach to the front of his pants.

"Being gentle is nice." The corner of Federico's mouth slowly pulled to one side as he moved his lower hand to rub Vieri through his pants, his palm pressing down softly.

Vieri grabbed his wrist, glaring at the damn thing as his voice came out rough and strained. "You can take your gentle and shove it."

Federico's throat vibrated with a purr of contentment, chin hooking over Vieri's shoulder. "I know where I'd like to shove something else of mine."

When Vieri arched away from him to fix him with an angry look, he stared right back innocently. "Would you object to it?" His smile turned lecherous. "Because whenever you do, you end wanting more anyway."

In retrospect, even Vieri would admit that trying to throw Federico from the horse a second time was a bad idea. Especially since he himself didn't have a firm grip on the reigns. When the horse reared back, it was as if Federico had yanked him and Vieri felt the reigns jerk from his fingers as they were both thrown off.

Probably tired of the mistreatment it had to endure, the horse galloped swiftly away. Vieri was far from caring about the damn thing. He didn't care about anything after having gotten slammed to the ground. Even if Federico took most of the impact, Vieri didn't feel bad-the fucker deserved it.

"You couldn't have left me alone today, could you, you idiot?" he yelled at the prone figure half lying underneath him.

Federico could only groan and cover his eyes. Vieri felt himself doing the same thing, the start of a pounding headache spreading. He half-heartedly kicked at the legs under his until he heard a whine of protest.

"Vieri..."

Vieri glared out through his fingers. "What?"

"Your horse is gone."

He honestly did not give a damn, but Federico looked way too satisfied about it. Vieri really didn't give a damn about him as well and he would have continued to not give a damn if Federico hadn't rolled over and pounced on him.

"What the hell!"

"And you said you liked that horse more than me." Federico pinned his shoulders down. "At least I didn't leave you when you were injured."

"Like I need you!" Vieri tried to kick him off, but gave up when Federico took it without flinching. "You're useless!"

"I can help."

"What the hell can you do!"

Federico nodded like he knew what he was talking about. "Never underestimate the healing power of mind-blowing sex. Especially if I'm the one administering it."

"Then it's a good thing you're not a doctor." Vieri tried to shove against his shoulder. "Get off. I'm fine."

Federico hummed in agreement. "Very fine." Before the inevitable yelling and attempts at pain infliction, he cheerfully spoke, "Hey, I guess you really can handle getting bucked."

Vieri started to growl in frustration. "Maybe if you actually paid attention for once-"

Fuck, that wasn't a yelp that came from his mouth when Federico grabbed the front of his shirt tightly to jerk him off the ground. There was only an angry yell as Federico smoothly switched their places, rolling backwards onto his own back and pulling Vieri on top to let him straddle his body.

When Vieri clutched at his shoulders to keep his balance, Federico grinned up at him. "Now, how about showing me that you can handle _my_ type of bucking?"

The following day, participants in the horse racing competition were surprised to learn that Vieri de' Pazzi had dropped from the race.


End file.
